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Health Tips From the Thankgiving Help Line

Thanksgiving recipes that omit the gluten, meat or dairy, but don’t sacrifice the flavor.

The Dining section has been fielding questions from readers about Thanksgiving quandaries, including health-related concerns among holiday diners.

Q.

I am dating a man who has been sober for a number of years, and he’s coming to my home for dinner. I have several recipes that seem to “require” either some sort of wine/fortified wine in them, specifically an oyster stuffing recipe. How can I substitute alcohol without sacrificing taste?

A.

You are on the right track. Dr. Harry Haroutunian, physician director of the Betty Ford Center in Rancho Mirage, Calif., says that alcohol flavors in food are indeed potential triggers for a person in recovery. He said many people wrongly believe that it’s O.K. to cook with alcohol because most of the liquid will have evaporated by the time a dish reaches the table. (Read the complete response here.)

Q.

Can you suggest a recipe for gluten-free gravy?

A.

Gluten is a protein found in most grains, cereals and breads, as well as many soups, sauces, beverages, spices and marinades, so it can be a challenge to cook without it. Silvana Nardone, creator of “Easy Eats,” an online magazine devoted to gluten-free cooking, suggests a gluten-free, flourless Mustard Pan Gravy. Even if you don’t need to eat gluten-free, you may want to try it. “It’s easier to make than regular gravy since there’s no need to fuss with a roux,’’ says Ms. Nardone.

Q.

My mother-in-law has a gluten allergy; my family is kosher. Can you suggest a good dessert that everyone can enjoy besides a fruit salad?

A.

Making a gluten-free dessert that is also kosher, meaning it doesn’t contain either gluten or dairy (if you’re eating meat), is slightly more challenging. One solution is to find a favorite vegan dessert (vegan recipes don’t contain dairy or animal products), and then figure out how to remove the gluten. And even though many vegan recipes already use dairy-free soy milk or almond milk, it’s also important to look for “Kosher pareve” on the label, which certifies that it wasn’t packed in the same facility as anything dairy.

Ms. Nardone, whose “Cooking for Isaiah” contains gluten-free dishes she created for her son, suggests a kosher, gluten-free pumpkin pie or her Upside-Down Apple-Granola Crunch. Although most recipes on Easy Eats require a subscription, Ms. Nardone has provided free links to her gluten-free gravy and both desserts.

I found four completely different recipes from home cooks by searching the Web site Food52.com for “vegetarian gravy,” including one thickened with miso, one made with mushrooms and leeks, another made with dried mushrooms and thyme and another made with herbs and garbanzo flour. (Read the complete response here.)

Q.

I’m hosting my entire family for the first time this year, and between the lot of them we’ve got gluten-intolerance, lactose-intolerance and vegetarianism. I’m a great cook and generally culinarily creative, but I can’t come up with main course that will satisfy everyone. Any thoughts?

A.

You need a gluten-free vegan main course to satisfy everybody’s dietary requirements, but it’s not always easy. Many gluten-free dishes have dairy or meat. And many dairy-free dishes have gluten. But several dishes from Well’s Vegetarian Thanksgiving series will work for you. (Read the complete response here.)

For more useful advice about defrosting pies, how to thicken cranberry sauce and whether it’s polite to watch football at the holiday table, go to The Times’s Thanksgiving Help Line.